“It's a shame they didn't tell us all of this that night. I’m not sure what difference it would have made, but I would have preferred to know that Mallory might be in the mix, somehow,” Jack said as he set his spoon down next to his empty bowl.
“That’s what Clara and Max were arguing about. Once Clara had located Mallory’s stash there wasn’t any crime to report; and until she went through everything in that vault, she couldn’t vouch for the status of the collection.”
“I suppose Max didn’t want that information to get around.”
“Yes, Jack. In its entirety, Max's collection is valued at tens of millions of dollars. Piecemeal or picked over it’s worth a lot less. Max couldn’t afford for that to get out because he’d put the archive up as collateral for a loan to ‘seed’ the New Arcadia venture. He had already started talking about putting a chunk of his personal assets into ‘making the real world an even more marvelous place.’ Stacy had the PR machine cranking, creating the buzz needed to attract investors.”
“Since there’s been no news about it, I presume that means Max’s precious collection is intact.”
“For the most part. Clara’s still going through everything, but Max’s most prized possessions are there and in good shape.”
“A heist to cover a heist—who could have imagined that? Those goons who thought they had scored big were dupes, too. A heist in which the thieves get suckered is a new one for me. I’ve dealt with all sorts of fraud over the years, but this one takes the cake.”
I turned things over in my head. “Hmm. Mallory’s reliance on boy toys from Marley World and the bad boys she had met in rehab might have worked if she’d been around to play mistress of the dark. But without her calling the shots, it all went off the rails, fast. She hadn’t told any of them the whole story, so they had no idea they were stealing fakes to cover up her theft and fraud.”
Jack chuckled. “The two thieves who are still alive are passing the blame back and forth about who decided they needed hostages. Damon gets credit for coming up with the bright idea to put Mallory’s plan into action even though she was dead. Damon’s not able to dispute that claim since he’s joined Mallory in the grave, but stealing the art collection and the Marvelous Marley World Crown Jewels must have been tempting.”
“Maybe not so tempting if they had known those crown jewels were nothing but gold-plated brass and paste after Mallory had her way with them.”
“You’re probably right. Most of what Damon and his greedy sidekicks hid in a storage locker in the backstage area is junk. It wouldn’t have remained hidden in there for long. They planned to waltz back in there the next day and claim it, after making their escape. Julie told us exactly where to find it.”
“She’s lucky to be alive. You made the right call when you guessed that she and Matthew were both young and scared. Misguided, too, for Julie to try to help out an old boyfriend who was in the wrong. The same for Matthew, trying to cover for his new girlfriend.”
Jack smiled sadly. “At least she told the truth when it came time to give us a formal statement. All I said was, ‘Georgie thinks you lied to her,’ and the whole story came tumbling out along with buckets of tears. She felt guilty about dumping Damon for Matt, but Damon got himself into that trouble. He might still be alive if he had given up when his pal started shooting at people in the Gallery.”
“Even if the disastrous heist had been his idea, I doubt he was calling the shots by then—no pun intended.”
“It could be, but as soon as they hit the tunnels, Damon called Julie. He told her he'd been shot and needed to get to a doctor quick. She left her shift early to make sure the employee area was empty before he and his thieving buddies arrived. Julie also found that empty storage chest in the men's outfitter's room to use as a hiding place for their loot. As you suspected, Julie hadn’t overheard much at all. Most of what she learned came directly from Damon. He told her they planned to change into character outfits so that they could escape through the park and out of the back door of Catmmando Mountain.”
“What would she have done if an associate had been in that area?” I asked.
“She didn’t say. I hope she would have passed along Damon’s message to hide. Damon was wary enough of his companions by then that he had the decency to tell Julie not to make a sound when they arrived. That's how she found out that their plan included taking hostages, even though Damon didn’t like the idea."
"Maybe Damon wanted to get caught, given how much information he gave to Julie."
"He sure did lay it all out for her. Originally, they planned to take the tunnels to an employee parking lot where they had left their getaway car. That option vanished once the alert went out about 'shots fired' in the Gallery."
There was still one question puzzling me. "How did Damon come up with the idea to use that back door out of Catmmando Mountain?"
"That's not clear. Mallory could have told him about it. Dan was correct that he had seen Damon before. Damon Saunders' name was on a roster of construction team members that toured Catmmando Mountain. Who knows if Damon joined that crew and went on the tour to scope out an alternate escape route, or if he came up with the idea on the spur of the moment? Damon would have known how to get in there without using Mallory's keycard. They wouldn't have needed to use Tom-Troopers to find their way out, either.” Jack shrugged and sipped a cup of decaf coffee. “Who knows? They might have pulled it off.”
Strains from Thelonious Monk's Round Midnight fit the languid mood that overtook me. A chill blew in off the Pacific Ocean, as the sun sat on the horizon like a big orange pumpkin. All Hallows’ Eve could have turned out so much worse than it had.
“I doubt they would have gotten away, Jack. Not with S.W.A.T. waiting to greet them when they left out that back door. I take it Julie told the truth when she claimed she heard that gunshot,” I said
“Yep. Her story about getting ensnared when she panicked and ran for it was real, too. That gunshot was the reason she called Matthew. She was sure Damon was dead. Matthew was truly terrified when he shouted for help, but he still had the presence of mind to tell Julie not to say a word about helping Damon.”
“That wasn’t smart. I guess that call, and the information she gave us later, helped lead to the thieves’ capture.” I sighed.
“Unfortunately, she and Matthew are still facing legal troubles. I hear your corporate lawyers have gone to bat for them.”
“Max says he feels sorry for them, and they've been through enough. Marvelous Marley World won’t press charges, so what happens to them next depends on the police and the district attorney. Can you believe Max is still cleaning up after Mallory even though she's dead? He’s hoping the two murderous thieves who got caught red-handed, will accept plea deals to avoid a trial. He’s called in a few personal favors to keep all this quiet. Heaven forbid that more murder and mayhem taint the Marvelous Marley World brand. I’m amazed at the clout he has. It is a marvelous world, I guess. 'A Marvelous Marley World.’”
Jack stared at me with an eyebrow arched.
“What?” I asked.
“You're singing Marley World's theme song. Maybe it’s time to consider retirement, Georgie.”
“I will, if you will, Jack. All that cops and robbers stuff has me worried about you, too. Together, I’m sure we could figure out how to make ends meet.”
“Why, Georgie, is that a proposal?”
“It does sound like that, doesn’t it?” Butterflies flitted about in my belly after I realized that's what it had been. Jack bolted out of his chaise.
"Hold that thought for a few minutes. I've got something to do." With that, Jack took off into the house through the great room, and disappeared. I heard the front door slam.
"Meow." Miles issued a plaintive cry and stared at me.
"Don't look at me. I'm clueless." I grew more distressed by the moment. Had I chased Jack off by springing that proposal on him?
Jazz music played in the background, and I felt like the star in the cl
osing scene of a noir film. Sitting there overlooking the Pacific Ocean as the sun sank below the horizon, and my detective pal just made a run for it: fade to black and roll the credits.
Then I noticed the hot fudge sundae dishes, and reality came crashing back into focus.
"Good grief. Let’s put on different music," I said, grabbing the dishes. I went inside, rinsed the dishes, and then went to switch to something more upbeat. Miles was at my heels when he suddenly let loose one of his ear-splitting howls.
A knock at the front door sent the two of us scurrying to answer it. I opened the door. Jack stood there. He held out a pink and gray pet carrier as he stepped inside and shut the door.
"What's that?" I asked.
Miles wanted to know too. He stood up, leaning against Jack's leg, and then reached up toward the carrier. I leaned over and peered into the container. A pair of gorgeous blue eyes gazed at me.
Miles meowed and got a lovely response.
"Meow."
My heart sang hearing that sound. "That is the most melodious meow I have ever heard. How can a kitten create such pure, rich, silky tones?"
"Meet Ella," Jack said. "It’s only fair for Miles to have a girl of his own. Who better for Miles Davis than Ella Fitzgerald?" Jack set the carrier on the ground, and Miles settled into his Sphinx pose inches away. No hissing was a good sign.
"Georgie Shaw, will you marry me?" Jack popped open a little black box he pulled from a pocket.
I barely glanced at the ring before answering. "I thought you'd never ask," I said as I slipped my arms around his neck and pulled him close. Snap. Crackle. Pop.
~~THE END~~
Recipes and Tips
Spicy Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 small jalapeño chili, seeded and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 15-oz. can pumpkin puree
1 13.5-oz. can light coconut milk, shaken
4 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
Salt
Toasted pumpkin seeds
Preparation:
In a pan, warm oil over medium-low heat. Sauté onion and ginger until soft, 8 minutes. Do not let brown. Add jalapeño and garlic; cook for 3 minutes, stirring often.
Stir in lime zest, pumpkin, coconut milk and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then puree in a blender. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds. Serve hot.
Coquilles St. Jacques*
Ingredients:
8 oz. button mushrooms, minced
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 small shallots, minced
2 tbsp. minced parsley
1 tbsp. minced tarragon, plus 6 whole leaves, to garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3⁄4 cup dry vermouth
1 bay leaf
6 large sea scallops
2 tbsp. flour
1⁄2 cup heavy cream
2⁄3 cup grated Gruyère
1⁄2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Preparation:
Heat mushrooms, 4 tbsp. butter, and 2⁄3 of the shallots in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat; cook until the mixture forms a loose paste, about 25 minutes. Stir parsley and minced tarragon into mushroom mixture; season with salt and pepper. Divide mixture among 6 cleaned scallop shells or shallow gratin dishes.
Bring remaining shallots, vermouth, bay leaf, salt, and 3⁄4 cup water to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add scallops; cook until barely tender, about 2 minutes. Remove scallops; place each over mushrooms in shells.
Continue boiling cooking liquid until reduced to 1⁄2 cup, about 10 minutes; strain. Heat broiler to high. Heat remaining butter in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; cook until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add reduced cooking liquid and cream; cook until thickened, about 8 minutes. Add cheese, juice, salt, and pepper; divide the sauce over scallops. Broil until browned on top, about 3 minutes; garnish each with a tarragon leaf.
* http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Classic-Gratineed-Scallops
Chocolate Brownies using Katherine Hepburn’s classic recipe*
Ingredients:
½ cup cocoa
½ cup butter (1 stick)
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
¼ cup flour
1 cup chopped or broken-up walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Preparation:
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Melt butter in saucepan with cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, nuts and salt. Add to the cocoa-butter mixture. Stir until just combined. Pour into a greased 8 x 8-inch-square pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake; the brownies should be gooey. Let cool, then cut into bars.
Georgie’s Notes:
Stick with natural unsweetened cocoa powder—not Dutch processed.
Use large eggs and let them sit out, so they’re at room temperature when it’s time to add them to the mix.
Let the butter and cocoa mixture cool like the instructions say or you’ll cook the eggs. For best results, beat the eggs a little before adding.
Don’t use a mixer for brownies—too much air can get in and make them cake-like. Don’t over mix, even by hand. As hard as it may be…let the brownies cool before serving—they “set” as they cool and the flavors have a chance to bloom. *http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10782-katharine-hepburns-brownies
Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce 2 Ways!
VERSION #1
Ingredients:
1 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 stick Salted Butter, Cut in Pieces
3 teaspoons Vanilla
Preparation:
In a medium saucepan, gently whisk together the cocoa powder and sugar. Whisk in the cream, then turn the heat to medium and whisk it as it warms up. When the mixture starts to heat up, add the butter and stir it in to melt. Then when the mixture is nice and hot, add the vanilla and stir it to combine. Let the sauce cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer it to a mason jar. Store it in the fridge (it will become solid as it cools).
To serve, scoop out the amount you need and place it in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat it for 20 seconds, then stir and heat for another 10 seconds or until the sauce is warm.
Georgie’s Notes:
High quality, unsweetened cocoa powder is key here, too! (Not Dutch Process)
Salted, real butter gives this sauce a kick you can’t get otherwise—with the sugar and cream this really is a rich treat to go over a scoop of ice cream and a brownie.
This is surprisingly quick and easy and keeps well in the fridge. If you’re really short on time, here’s an even quicker way to get a delicious version of hot fudge sauce in a flash!
VERSION #2
2 Ingredient Hot Fudge Sauce
1 can (14 Oz. Size) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1-1/2 cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
Pour the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl. Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the top of the chocolate chips. Microwave for 2 minutes on high. Then stir briskly to melt the chocolate chips into the sweetened condensed milk. If there are still lumps, microwave for 1 more minute, and stir briskly again.
*http://thepioneerwoman.com/food-and-friends/2-ingredient-hot-fudge/
~~~~~
A Merry Christmas Wedding Mystery Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery #4
Anna Celeste Burke
A MERRY CHRISTMAS WEDDING MYSTERY
Copyright © 2016 Anna Celeste Burke
www.desert
citiesmystery.com
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher except brief quotations for review purposes.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Cover Design by Anna Celeste Burke
Public Domain Photo from Pixabay
ISBN-13:978-1540420312
ISBN-10:1540420310
Dedication
To all the good that can come from even the worst situations we face, and to those of us who still believe in happily-ever-after!
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
More thanks to my husband who read the first draft of this book and caught a lot of the bloopers I made. Just like the backup he provides in other areas of my life.
Thanks, as well, to Ying Cooper for yet another proofreading job. This one with all the holiday demands swirling about her. A cool-head and a keen eye—what more could I ask?
I’m also grateful for the ongoing support from readers of Advance Review Copies: Denise Austin, Peggy Hyndman, Doward Wilson, Valerie Bargewell, Andrea Stoeckel, Andra Weis, Michele Hayes, Karen Vaughan, Donna Wolz, and Michele Bodenheimer.
1 No hoops!
“No! Absolutely not! It’s my wedding. I will not wear a hoop skirt. If you show me a dress like that, I will tear it to bits, and that’s a promise!” I tried to calm myself as I drummed my fingers on the desk. The response from Imogene did not help me do that.
Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery Box Set Page 25